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(No Model.)

T. N. 86 G. B.1V[0LEAN.

DEPURATOR.

No. 594,961. Patented De0.-7, 1897.

m: NORRIS vzrzns ca. FHMOMTNU" WASNINGTON. o. c.

UNITE STATES PATENT 'OFFICE.

THOMAS N. MOLEAN, OF ELIZABETH, NEw JERSEY, AND CALVIN B. MoLEAN,

I OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT.

D EPU RATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,961, dated December '7, 1897.

Application filed December 7,1896. Serial No. 614,802. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that We, THOMAS N. MOLEAN, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, and CALVIN B. Mo- LEAN, residing at Stamford, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, citizens of the United States of America, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for the Treatment of Diseases, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a View of a person (legs mainly omitted) wearing the apparatus for the practice of said improvement. Fig. 2 is a View of a person (legs mainly omitted) wearing the supporting-frame forming a part of said apparatus. Fig. 3 is a view of said supportingframe in horizontal cross-section on the plane indicated by the dotted line a: 00 of Fig. 2.

An object and purpose of the improvement (not now undertaking to state all the objects and purposes) is the treatment of disease in the human body by partially removing the atmospheric pressure from a zone of the body comprising the part particularly affected, while permitting other portions of the body to remain exposed to such atmospheric pressure.

In the accompanying drawiifgs the letters a and b, respectively, denote two or more corresponding partible sections of what may be termed a Frigid supporting-frame, substantially encompassing the chest and abdomen of the body,.leaving a chamber. between the body and this supporting-frame. These two sections are partible from each other, the parting being lengthwise. Where the edges meet, they overlap and intermesh, as indicated in Fig. 3. This supporting-frame has what 'may be termed shoulder-straps a and 1),

through the agency of which the shoulders of the person wearing the apparatus support this frame, and there are armholes for the arms just beneath these shoulder-straps.

The letter 0 denotes perforations respectively located in substantial alinement with the exhaust-tube and indicator-tube, (soon to be described,) which are attached to the outer and upper flexible cover, (soon to be described.)

The letter (1 denotes a flexible and elastic The letter 6 denotes another flexible and elastic cover for the lower end and portion of the supporting-frame which by its elasticity makes close contact with the legs of the wearer.

The letter f denotes a hoop or ring which may be called a F contact-ring, for the reason that it affords a base or support against which the two overlapping flexible covers bear through atmospheric pressure when air is exhausted from within the chamber. I

The letter 9 denotes an air-pump which may be of any suitable construction, from which an exhaust-tube h runs to connect with the chamber.

The letter 2' denotes What may be called the indicator-tube, which may be supplied with a safety-valve and with a gage for indicating the degree of exhaustion within the chamber. The parts of the apparatus being assembled and in place, as already indicated, then by means of the air-pump and suction-tubes the air is exhausted to a reasonable and desired degree from the chamber which surrounds the body. This operation brings with it valuable curative results, all of which need not be enumerated here. One of these resultsis to rarefy the air which is in contact with the body, removing to a degree the ordinary atmospheric pressure from the exterior of the body, meanwhile leaving that atmospheric pressure in full effect as regards air which enters the body through the mouth and nose,

and also in full effect as regards those portions of the body not inclos ed by the chamber.

In the case of lung trouble-for instance,- trouble of that nature commonly known as consumptionone effect is to expand the lungs beyond that of which the ordinary patient himself is capable and to give the blood in the veins and arteries and capillaries freer course and play than can probably be attained by any other means. Such artificial expansion of the lungs and bronchial tubes opens up their minutest cells for the access thereto duced by Way of the mouth and nose.

compassing the chest and abdomen of the human body, a flexible and elastic overlapping cover adapted to form an air-tight connection with the neck and arms, another flexible and elastic overlapping cover adapted to form an air-tight connection with the legs separately, and a means for partially removing atmospheric pressure from said chamber, all substantially as described and for the pur- THOMAS N. MCLEAN. CALVIN B. MCLEAN.

' poses set forth.

Vitnesses:

W. E. SIMoNns, ANDREW FERGUSON. 

